Review: A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action by LuAnn McLane

A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action
LuAnn McLane {Facebook | Myspace | Twitter}
Publisher: Signet
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Mass Market Paperback {p.283}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Macy McCoy, Luke Carter
Challenge: 50 States, 100+
My Rating:

Macy’s chance for love is slipping from her fingers. College football coach Luke Carter has a penchant for hot-bodied babes, not curvy hairdressers like Macy. And some big-time schools may be luring him away. Then a country singing star’s hair emergency turns into a big break for Macy.

Making it in Nashville boosts Macy’s confidence, but when Luke interviews for a job at a local university, she’ll have to put up or shut up—or lose him forever…

I picked up this author because Amazon suggested that if I liked Dixie Cash I may like LuAnn McLane. With similar catchy titles, I can see why one may think that. But to me this author more closely matches Carolyn Brown. They both have a fondness for country music song references.

Macy is a hairdresser and best friend to her love interest, Luke Carter’s, younger sister. She has had a crush on Luke for as long as she can remember, but he’s only seen her as a little sister.

Throughout the book we hear Macy complain a lot about Luke never being interested in her because she as a curvy figure and not that of a Barbie. After a while it becomes a tad too much.

The book does offer a few comedic scenes, but it wasn’t as funny as I was expecting it to be. The relationship between Luke and Macy wasn’t all that interesting. It was more lukewarm instead of steamy hot. They may have had a mutual affection for one another, but I definitely wasn’t feeling the love.

Review: Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Simply Irresistible
Jill Shalvis {Blog | Facebook | Twitter}
Series: Lucky Harbor #1
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: October 1, 2010
Mass Market Paperback {p.311}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Maddie Moore, Jax Cullen
Challenge: 100+, Contemporary
My Rating:

Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover.

In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

Maddie meets Jax when she almost runs him over on his motorcycle. She is fleeing LA where she has been fired from her job and dumped her abusive ex-boyfriend.

Maddie is a quiet doormat people pleaser. Everyone in Lucky Harbor knows her and her sisters by the personality nicknames their late mother Phoebe gave them. The Steel Magnolia, The Mouse, and The Wild Child. Of course Maddie is The Mouse, but she is trying to develop some of her sister’s steel.

Her relationship with Jax is sugary sweet but she still has some baggage from her previous relationship that makes her not able to truly open up to him. She’s a tad fearful and flinches away from him a lot when he tries to touch her. With her ex being a lawyer, she hates all lawyers, so Jax keeps the fact that he used to be a lawyer from her.

Plus he’s also keeping another secret from her and she is upset when she finds out. What really bothered me about that was the fact that the other person involved in this secret, she was not upset with.

Even though this book was just okay, I am still interested in seeing if my suspicions about who the other sisters will end up with will prove true.

Review: A Creed in Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller

A Creed in Stone Creek
Linda Lael Miller {Facebook | Twitter}
Publisher: HQN Books
Publication Date: February 22, 2011
Kindle {p.384}
Source: Publisher/NetGalley
Genre: Contemporary, Western
Characters: Melissa O'Ballivan, Steven Creed
Challenge: 50 States, 100+, Contemporary Romance, Ebook
My Rating:

When single attorney Steven Creed becomes the guardian of an orphaned five-year-old boy, he trades his big-city law firm for a ranch near his McKettrick kin in the close-knit community of Stone Creek, Arizona. Taking care of little Matt and fixing up his run-down ranch house with its old barn loosens something tightly wound inside him. But when Steven takes on the pro bono defense of a local teen, he meets his match in the opposing counsel—beautiful, by-the-book county prosecutor Melissa O’Ballivan. It’ll take one grieving little boy, a sweet adopted dog and a woman who never expected to win any man’s heart to make this Creed in Stone Creek know he’s truly found home.

Steven has just adopted his late best friend's five year-old son and moved to Stone Creek to raise him. He notices an attractive woman while out to breakfast with his new son, who just so happens to be the Stone Creek prosecutor Melissa O'Ballivan. After a really bad breakup with a lawyer in the past, he's a little apprehensive about getting involved with another one.

Melissa too has experienced a bad breakup with a man who had children, that has left her afraid to put her heart back out there. Before long Melissa is unable to resist Steven or five year-old Matt.

The dynamic between Steven and Matt is something to behold. You can't help but to feel both Matt and Steven's pain at their shared loss. And the instant affection and attachment Matt had to Melissa was also an added bonus.

I did love Steven's cousin Brody, and I hope to find out what is the cause of the rift between him and his twin brother Connor. All the additional background characters added something to the overall story. Melissa's sisters, Tessa and Tom, Andrea and Bryon, all had pivotal parts to play.

Review: How to Marry a Duke by Vicky Dreiling

How to Marry a Duke
Vicky Dreiling {Blog | Blogspot | Facebook | Twitter}
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: January 1, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.396}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Historical
Characters: Tessa Mansfield, Tristan Gatewick
Challenge: 100+, Historical Romance
My Rating:

Tristan, the Duke of Shelbourne is a man with a mission: find a wife he can tolerate as long as they both shall live. Love is not necessary--nor desired. But how to choose among a dizzying array of wealthy-yet-witless candidates? Hire London's infamously prim and proper matchmaker. Then pretend she's not the most captivating woman he's ever met...

Helping a devilish Duke create a contest to pick his perfect mate is the kind of challenge Tessa Mansfield relishes. Her methods may be scandalous, but she's determined to find the notorious bachelor more than a wife--she'll bring him true love. Yet when Tessa watches the women vie for the Duke's affections, she longs to win his heart herself. And after a stolen kiss confirms Tristan's desire, Tessa knows she has broken a matchmaker's number one rule: never fall in love with the groom.

Tristan is in the market of finding a wife. At a ball where is doing just that, he meets Tessa. He is instantly attracted to her, but he doesn't know her true identity.

Tessa is a unwed spinster matchmaker. She herself refuses to ever marry. Although she too is attracted to Tristan, she knows nothing will ever come of the attraction due to her refusal to ever marry and his rakish reputation.

So Tristan sets out to snag Tessa's matchmaking services to aid him in finding a suitable bride. The book unfolds like season 11 of The Bachelor. Tristan has twenty-four lovely, and not so lovely, ladies competing for the title of Duchess.

From earlier on in the story we learn of a secret that Tessa has been keeping, and only has shared it with her late uncle. You can tell she suffers from extreme guilt from this secret, but we as the read have no idea what it is. I was constantly wanting to peek ahead just to find out what it was due to her constant discomfort of the secret.

Overall I really enjoyed the story and all of the characters. I especially liked Tristan's best friend, Hawk, and look forward to his very own book. Not only was this a romantic read, but also a comedic read as well. There were many times I found myself laughing , one in particular included a candlestick and some sheep.

Review: Wild Man Creek by Robyn Carr

Wild Man Creek
Robyn Carr {Facebook}
Series: Virgin River Creek #12
Publisher: Mira
Publication Date: January 25, 2011
Kindle/Mass Market Paperback {p.361}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley; Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Jillian Matlock, Colin Riordan
Challenge: 50 States, 100+, Contemporary Romance
My Rating:

Colin Riordan came to Virgin River to recuperate from a horrific helicopter crash, the scars of which he bears inside and out. His family is wonderfully supportive, but it’s his art than truly soothes his troubled soul.

Stung personally and professionally by an ill-advised affair, PR guru Jillian Matlock arrived in town via golden parachute. She’s bought an old Victorian with a promising garden and is looking forward to cultivating something other than a corporate brand.

When Jillian finds Colin at his easel in her yard, there’s an instant connection. But both are holding romance at arm’s length— looking to simplify, not complicate, their lives. And Jill may yet be lured back to Silicon Valley...

No one arrives in Virgin River without a story, and no one leaves—if they ever do—unchanged.

Robyn Carr adds another wonderful addition to her Virgin River series! From page one I could tell Jillian was a strong, likable, and relatable lead female for any and every woman.

Jillian takes a leave of absence from her job and heads to Virgin River for some much need relaxation. Colin too has headed to Virgin River to recoup after a stint in rehab. The two seem an unlikely match from the start, but each finds a sort of kinship and attraction with the other. They are both starting over and trying to find their new place within the world.

The chemistry between them came alive. The imaginary of Jillian running down those stairs and across her front lawn to leap into Colin's arms, was almost as if I was standing in that yard watching it all unfold. Not only was those two characters alive, but all the Virgin River residents seemed to leap off the pages. If you're not laughing along with the community, you're crying along with them, or for them.

When Jillian is not encouraging Colin to follow his dreams and live his life to the fullest, even though it's breaking her heart to do so, Carr is keeping you entertained with the goings on of everyone else.

Jack has a pretty substantial side story with a potential long lost addition to his family. Your heart breaks watching that story unfold.

We also see health issues crop up for a long time citizen Lydie, Rick's grandmother. This prompts a brief return for Rick to Virgin River. Pastor Noah Kincaid also makes a very brief appearance, along with the appearance of the  entire Riordan clan.

New face arrive on the scene, Lief and his stepdaughter Courtney, who will be the main characters of book thirteen, Harvest Moon. This one also featured a wedding.

This addition to the series offers a little of everything. It sure to be a home run with longtime fans of the series.